A future career in photography?

[MATTL]

Hey everyone,

I could use a little help ;
could anyone give me a couple tips on how to get my passion going. Im 16 and I figured better now to start saving and getting some expenses out of the way of the photography field, and I need to know what a great DSLR camera is to begin with, as i said before I'm 16 so I have nothing else that my money is going to so that's not a problem,

Im going to be taking all the available courses I can to learn everything possible about composition, lighting,etc..

I can only imagine how many times you guys read this a day because of how amazingly popular this career is, but I just need some advice as I'm actually going to step forward and choose this as my career.

Also Im very interested in scenery so if anyone has any tips about that field, thats greatly appreciated, but I will adapt and keep my options open, income isn't really a problem, however It would be nice to turn this into a decent living.

[DigitalOnePhotography]

Well....Anyone planning to start digital photography and purchasing a new digital camera should think about this:

There are TWO primary factors to consider:
1. How much money do you have to spend????
2. What level of photography do you aspire to "progress to" in the coming years ? (i.e. basic beginner, intermediate, or professional/business use).

For most beginners to intermediates I usually suggest one of these two manufacturers:

1. Canon EOS Rebel model XSi. (Also known as the Canon 450D in Britain)
The "kit" package comes with an 18-55mm zoom lens. The camera has pop-up flash, 12.2 Megapixels, and shutter speeds up to 1/4000th, 100-1,600 ISO sensitivity, 7 autoexposure Scene modes, PLUS Shutter Priority, Aperature Priority and Programmed Exposure Modes and Manual. It also has a 3 inch LCD screen, 3.5 frames continous per second max., 9 point AF system, Live View Functioning and the ability to record photos in 3, 6 or 12 Megapixels PLUS numerous other great features found only on more expensive cameras. Wal-Mart is also selling them now for about $799. Sam's Club also has them for $729.

I bought one of these 6 months ago and use it as my "back up" camera to a more expensive Canon EOS 5D Mark II. I absolutely love it. I have gotten some fantastic photos with it and cannot praise it enough. I routinely enlarge my photos to make 8x10's and 11x14 size enlargements with no noticeable distortion or loss of detail in the pictures.

2. Nikon D-90: If you prefer to use Nikon equipment I strongly recommend the Nikon D-90 which has 12.3 Megapixels, 3 inch monitor with Live View, 200-3,200 ISO sensitivity, 11 point AF system with Face Priority, 4.5 frames per second in continous mode, 5 advanced Scene modes for auto exposure plus Shutter Priority, Aperature Priority, Programmed Auto plus Manual. The D-90 sells for around $900-950. (Body ONLY. The 18-55mm lens cost an additional $150.-175.) Typically, Nikon equipment is slightly more expensive than Canon equipment, but (having owned both Nikon and Canon cameras), I have seldom noticed BETTER quality results using Nikon equipment.

These two selections are probably the best choices for any beginner to intermediate skill level, offering the most lenses and other accessories, dealers and places to purchase.

I strongly recommend that ALL beginners buy a good book on digital photography AND take a class or two from a Vocational school or Community Education Center in your area.

If this is a "Career Move" you need to start working on a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION or BUSINESS MANAGEMENT, with a minor in Photography.
The world is FILLED with photographers who FAILED in their businesses because they didn't bother to learn about accounting, management, tax laws, payroll, expenses, travel, and a hundred other things it takes to run a successful business. If you cannot afford 4 years college I suggest a 2 year Vo-cational School or Photography/Art Institute of some kind.

You can learn more about the technical specifications of each of these two cameras at these websites:

www.usa.canon.com
www.nikonusa.com